A Nerd Walks Into A Bathroom… [comic]

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Where Can I Safely Download Free Software? FreeFile Review

Downloading free software gets riskier everyday. Some sites intentional try to confuse people into downloading garbage by way of ads with large “Download” buttons. However, if you are careful, you can download the free programs that you want. This review is a comparison of the four best freeware download sites for Windows software, that I regularly visit. All four are quite similar, with only minor differences. Generally, these sites all have clean navigation (a minimum of ads with ‘Download’ buttons), are updated daily, offer a large catalog of software with reviews, ratings, and screenshots, and most importantly – a direct link to program that you want. Below are quick reviews of my four favorite sites.

SnapFiles is the best site for the occasional downloader. With very few ads and a clean lay-out, it is hard to go astray. Very good search function.

MajorGeeks has a clean, simple homepage, with the bulk of the page for the most recent software. The download pages for individual programs have ads with big green ‘Download Now’ buttons – so be careful. This site’s outstanding feature is mirror sites for downloads; frequently there are several sources for downloads. Use the links under “Download Locations”.

FileHorse, like MajorGeeks, junks up its download pages with ads. Use the green ‘Download Now’ button on the right side, labelled “(xx.xx MB) Safe & Secure”. Outstanding feature is old versions of most programs are available on the program’s download page.

Download Crew has the busiest, most ad-filled site. The download buttons are located directly under the program name on the download page. Best search function of the four sites.

– – – – The Bottom Line – – – –

All four of these sites offer only direct links to downloads, feature many new programs every day, and are relatively easy to navigate, so all of them are excellent. SnapFiles is the winner, by a nose.

Read more FreeFile Reviews at DanKostecki.com

 

Another Patch From Apple [comic]

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FreeFile Review – Invisible Utilities

What is an invisible utility? My definition is a Windows application that is completely unobtrusive; transparent to the user, when not needed, but is quickly available via the context menu (right click) when needed. And most importantly, it must provide something that Windows does not. this review will cover three such utilities that I have used for several years –  Eraser – 7-Zip – Unlocker.

Eraser will securely delete any file on your PC. Normally when a file is deleted, it still exists on your hard drive. To truly remove a file, it must be overwritten – that is what Eraser does. Once installed, several Preferences can be set by the user. The most important setting is for the number of times a file will be overwritten – 1, 3, 7 or 35 times. I choose 3x – for speed – and I also disable Scheduled Tasks. To use Eraser, simply right-click on a file and select ‘Erase’, click ‘Yes’ and the file is permanently gone. The contents of the Recycle Bin can be erased also. Right-clicking the Recycle Bin icon gives a list of erasing options.

7-Zip is for opening archive files – about 25 different formats. Windows will open .zip files, but no other archive types. 7-Zip will open .rar, .iso and many others. To use, right-click on an archive file and select ‘7-Zip’ and then ‘Extract files’ (or ‘Extract Here’), click ‘OK’ and 7-Zip does its thing. Most users will not need this application often, but it is handy to have on your computer. 7-Zip is available in 32 bit and 64 bit versions.

Unlocker is a lifesaver when Windows refuses to let you do anything to a file because some program has control of the file. To use, right-click on the locked file and select ‘Unlocker’. In the Unlocker window, select the locked file and click the ‘Unlock’ button. Usually, this does the trick. If the file is still locked, try the ‘Kill Process’ button. It can be difficult to find a download link for Unlocker – here is a good one. Be aware that Unlocker is available in 32 bit and 64 bit versions.

– – – – The Bottom Line – – – –

All three of these utilities are simple to use and effective. They have been part of my Windows PCs for years and I appreciate them on the rare occasions when they are needed. While many similar programs exist, I find these three to be solid performers.

Download Eraser

Download 7-Zip

Download Unlocker

Visit DanKostecki.com for more FreeFile Reviews

 

Nationwide ISP Speed Test

PC Magazine is conducting a survey to document the internet speeds actually received by people across the US. You can participate by going to this page and running a quick, painless test on your computer. No need to register or sign in, just take the test. You can take the test as many times as you want until July 2011.

Test your internet speed NOW.

‘It’s A Sin To Download Music’ Claims Singer

TechDirt reports –

Apparently, when confronted with changing business models that make your old model less reliable, different people act in different ways. An anonymous reader points us to the news that the singer of the band , has decided to take a religious view on the matter and has declared that file sharers are going to hell. His view of the religion of music economics is apparently that it’s okay to download if you’re poor, but if you can afford to pay, it’s a sin to download and share. He then goes on to thank his record label — whom he refers to as his “paymaster” — and suggest that the band is “lucky.” While I’m sure luck plays a part in all of it, perhaps not damning people to hell for just listening to your music would be a good start.
He notes that the band has a dedicated bunch of fans, which is great, but shouldn’t they be focusing on giving them real reasons to buy, rather than invoking threats of brimstone and hellfire to guilt people into buying? It really comes down to a simple equation. You can make people feel good about buying something, or you can focus on making them feel bad if they don’t buy. I tend to think that, in this day and age, the former is much better than the latter. Why worry about those who are downloading, when you can focus on providing good value and a good experience for those who want to support you?

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